St.
Bonaventure, “The Seraphic Doctor”, was born Giovanni di Fidanza in the
vicinity of Viterbo, Tuscany in 1221. Nothing is known of his childhood
except the name of his parents: Giovanni di Fidanza and Maria Fidella.
Legend
has it that when seriously ill as a child, his mother took him to St.
Francis of Assisi. As the saint prayed over him, he was shown the
infant's future spiritual greatness and exclaimed, “O, buona ventura!” O
good fortune!”
He entered the Franciscan Order at age twenty-two
and after taking his vows, was sent to Paris to study under the great
Alexander Hale, and then John de la Rochelle. In Paris he became close
friends with St. Thomas Aquinas, and both received their doctorate at
the same time. Like St. Thomas, Bonaventure was held in high esteem by
King St. Louis IX.
Already while in Paris he was a great preacher and discourser and wrote Commentary on the Sentences of Peter Lombard,
a work covering the whole field of scholastic theology. He wrote
extensively on philosophy and theology throughout his life. It is said
of St. Bonaventure that he united in himself two elements: tender piety
and profound learning, from whence proceeded all that is most noble,
sublime, great and beautiful in the Middle Ages.
At
thirty-five Bonaventure was chosen General of the Franciscans, and
restored peace in the place of disturbances generated by internal
dissensions. While some friars were for an inflexible severity, others
were for a more relaxed rule. The saint steered the wise road of
balance, reforming and restoring the spirit of his order and writing a
life of St. Francis. It is said that St. Thomas Aquinas once entered
Bonaventure’s cell while he was writing this biography and found him in
ecstasy, “Let’s leave a saint to write about a saint,” said the Angelic
Doctor.
In 1265, Pope Clement IV nominated Bonaventure to the
archbishopric of York, which the saint humbly turned down to the
acquiescence of the Pope.
But in 1273 Pope Gregory X elevated him
to ecclesiastical dignity, and made him Cardinal, Bishop of Albano. At
the Council of Lyons, he was the Pope’s right hand in preparing the
matters to be addressed. Before the council began, St. Bonaventure
abdicated the office of minister general of his order.
The
Council of Lyons was instrumental in the effective reunion of the
Greeks, a union desired by Emperor Michael Palaeologus. St. Thomas died
on the way to this council, and St. Bonaventure was the council’s
outstanding figure. But amidst his triumph, Bonaventure died rather
suddenly during the night of July 14-15. According to the chronicle of
his secretary, Peregrinus of Bologna, discovered in 1905, Bonaventure
was poisoned.
He was canonized in 1482, and declared Doctor of the Church in 1588.
Thursday, July 15, 2021
St. Bonaventure
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